Students in District 70 meet their teachers at a distance

The idea was to begin to get close while staying socially distant.

The four elementary schools and one middle school Libertyville Elementary District 70 will start the new school year remotely on Monday. But Thursday, all of the K-5 students went to their school to meet their teacher and classmates.

"We really wanted some face time with teachers before we start Monday," Copeland Manor School Principal Lori Poelking said of the meet-and-greets at the school at 801 S. Seventh St. in Libertyville.

The 370 students at Copeland Manor were assigned a 30-minute time slot to visit their neighborhood school with one parent each.

Many walked the few blocks of shady sidewalks to meet their new classmates and teacher in a socially distant layout on the school's front lawn. There, all students, parents and teachers were instructed to wear masks. Parents were asked to stay several feet away from the students as they gathered, in a spread-out fashion, with their new teacher.

Parents carried home tools to use during the year, including a laptop computer.

"There's a whole lot of things in that heavy bag," Poelking said.

Students also took home books and a supply kit that included crayons, pencils, glue and other items.